American Wizarding History

From Namericanpotter

Revision as of 05:56, 3 March 2008

Colonies and Revolution

The Beginnings of a Magical Society:
Wizards in the American Colonies

From its beginnings as a British colony to its current state as a world power, the United States has had a huge influence on the world. It has accomplished much in the two hundred and twenty-five years since General George Washington first stepped into the roll of President of a fledgling nation, becoming a strong force both politically and socially. Buried deep within the history of America, however, are the exploits of countless witches and wizards, fighting for and aiding their country with every means they have available while still keeping magic from the eyes of Muggles. Their history is just as noteworthy as those of their Muggle compatriots, and shall be discussed below.

Before the wars, before ships began making the dangerous trek across the Atlantic, there were the native tribes of American Indians. Having arrived millennia ago, the numerous tribes lived off the land, following the advice of their chieftains and shamans. A number of the shamans were true wizards, using their magic to better the lives of their tribes. Some of the chieftains were wizards as well, although they were fewer in number. As the representatives of their tribes, these august persons were often those who spoke with the ambassadors of other groups. The most well-known of these ambassadors, of course, were the European settlers.

Much like their Muggle counterparts, the first European wizards who arrived in North America were at first cordial, then antagonistic against the native shamans. Barring a few rare examples of cooperation, interactions between the true groups often went sour quickly. The most notable example of this occurred on the island of Roanoke in 1587. Although information on the incident is scant, it has been determined that a magical backlash of biblical proportions swept over the island during an intense fight between native shamans and British settlers, causing every living person on the island to vanish without a trace.

As more settlers arrived, a number of branches of the wizarding ‘pure-blooded’ families came over to settle in this odd new land. These families include the Tattersalls, Bryants, and Blacks from Britain, the Delacours from France, the Hoffmans from Germany, and the O’Briens from Ireland. They settled throughout the colonies, although most of them remained in New England. They quickly made their mark in their new homes; in particular, the Tattersalls founded the Weston Academy of Thaumaturgical Practices, the first magical academy on American soil, in the spirit reflection of the newly-formed Harvard College in 1650.

In 1692, a message was sent out to all the wizards in the world, calling them to London. There, wizards from all over the globe came together and decided that magic should be kept away from the eyes of Muggles…in theory, anyway. The native shamans of numerous countries – including the American Indians – didn’t agree with this tenant. Their people had known for centuries that they could tap into the power of the gods, they said. Why should they stop now? Over weeks of deliberation, the agreement was finally reached, but it left a bad taste in the European wizards in the American colonies.

The American wizards also had a massive blow dealt to them in the form of the Salem Witch Trials. Although only one witch was actually burned, it sent a wave of panic through the pure-blooded families, reinforcing the importance of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy. They retreated farther from Muggle society, while the Muggle-born and half-blooded wizards retained their close ties to the less magical population.

The French-Indian War had wizards acting on both sides of the conflict, both as ‘normal’ soldiers and during smaller magic-fueled skirmishes away from Muggle eyes. Barring a few notable exceptions (such as the compact between the Apalachee Indians and the Spanish colonists), relationships between the native shamans and European wizards ranged from terse to out-right hostile, and would not begin to clear up until after the Revolutionary War.

The Revolutionary War is notable in that it is one of the few notable instances where wizards from two different countries fought against each other. A number of Muggle-born British wizards were in the forces that came to fight against the rebels, along with a considerably larger number of wizards who fought alongside their fellow colonists. The pure-blooded families in the colonies stayed out of the fighting for the most part; barring a few exceptions, the British families supported the monarchy. Much like during the French and Indian War, smaller magical skirmishes occurred behind the scenes while wizards took the lines during the Muggle battles. One notable wizard on the colonial side was Nathanial Thatcher, an Obrimos who served as an assistant to General George Washington.

When the war ended, the colonists were victorious. Both Muggles and wizards cheered at their victory…then realized that they had to figure out what to do next. While the country chose George Washington as their first president, wizards from around the country gathered in Philadelphia to decide on their own ruling body. Nathanial Thatcher, one of Washington’s aides, was chosen to be the equivalent of the Minister of Magic. In 1789, Thatcher revealed his abilities to his former commander, and the two worked out a plan: the wizards would keep their magic out of the eyes of mortals, and the Muggle government will allow the wizards to do their own thing. There was one notable difference between the newly-created Department of Magical Affairs and the British Ministry of Magic, though: while the Ministry of Magic was completely separate from the British government, the members of the Department of Magical Affairs would also be employees of the State Department (and later departments as they were founded). This allowed the two to work together in a more effective fashion, and also cemented the closer bond to Muggle society that separates British and American wizards.

Jonathon Linden
American Wizarding History
11/23/07

Modern Day

• 1960's - The British wizard Tom Riddle, better known as Lord Voldemort, sends a number of trusted Death Eaters to the United States in order recruit more members.
• 1966 - The cells of Death Eaters reveal themselves and raise havoc, sending the American wizarding community for a loop. The next decade is spent dealing with them.
• 1967 - The Department of Magical Activities works with the Ministry of Magic to set up an American branch of the Aurors to deal with the Death Eater cells.
• 1981 - Much to the surprise of all, Voldemort is defeated by his own spell when he attempted to kill Harry Potter. The remaining Death Eaters in the United States go underground, are killed by Aurors or are captured and taken to Blackgate Penitentiary.